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HS FOOT: Morgan leads Taft over San Fernando 40-17

In rain, sleet or snow – in this case, rain – D.J. Morgan delivers for Taft High of Woodland Hills.

The USC-bound junior put on a show Wednesday despite wet, muddy conditions, rushing for 176 yards and four touchdowns on 23 carries and adding 62 yards receiving in a 40-17 victory over visiting San Fernando in the City Section quarterfinals.

The last of Morgan’s touchdowns was a 50-yard run, and it was truly an exceptional play. On a delayed handoff, Morgan found himself surrounded in the backfield by several oncoming defenders who nearly pulled him down before Morgan bounced away, cut to his left and outsprinted everyone to the end zone to give the Toreadors a 24-point lead.

Taft (11-1) plays at San Pedro (10-1) in the semifinals on Dec. 5. The championship game is Dec. 13 at 1 p.m. at the Coliseum.

“This is a good moment, and we’re going to enjoy it,” Morgan said. “But this is not our ultimate goal. Hopefully, we’ll win the next round, then get to championship and win that, too.”

With rain streaming down for much of the evening and the field transgressing into a mud pit, Morgan did not flinch, steadily wearing down the Tigers.

The victory was Taft’s seventh and in a row and broke a six-game winning streak by San Fernando (8-4), hoping to qualify for an upper-division semifinal for the first time since 1988 – a 30-year dry spell.

Taft scored two touchdowns in the third quarter on Kalen Booker’s 85-yard kick return and Morgan’s 4-yard run to make it 27-10. Morgan’s touchdown was set up by Devin Bailey’s 29-yard reception.

Booker added a 66-yard interception return.

Goodall completed 6 of 9 for 127 yards, and Reynolds completed 6 of 15 for 160 yards and scored on an 11-yard run in the final minute.

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